Thankfully, the Chicago Bears enter the 2025 off-season with more questions about their coaching staff than about their roster. While this team is far from championship-ready, it is at least easier to identify where they need help. Anybody with common sense will tell you it starts in the trenches, especially on the offensive side. There is a realistic possibility they could have at least three new starters up front by the time the dust settles next May. It is a good thing they have three picks in the first two rounds. That offers a golden opportunity to land a potential instant-impact player.
There is one problem, though. Brad Biggs of the Chicago Tribune contacted an NFL general manager to discuss the incoming draft class. One thing was made crystal clear: If the Bears go into April hoping to find a center, they would be making a huge mistake.
There isn’t a center in this year’s draft class as talented as Frazier, who came out of West Virginia. Georgia’s Jared Wilson, if he enters the draft, might be the best of the group, but it’s a thin group overall and it’s a challenging position to scout because NFL offenses put tougher requirements on the position than colleges.
“Starts with the communication stuff,” one general manager said. “In college, you’ve got all this nonsense where they put Mickey Mouse and other stuff on a poster board and hold it up on the sideline to call the plays. Finding the brain — a player that can handle everything presnap — is probably the hardest part because it is such an unknown. There isn’t a center in this year’s group that is even close to Frazier.”
The Chicago Bears better hope their scouting reports are solid.
They won’t find a center in this draft who is likely able to start immediately. That means the Bears may have to forego the position in favor of guard and tackle help. Ryan Poles, assuming he remains GM, will have to find his solution on the veteran market. Coleman Shelton is a free agent and Doug Kramer is not starter-worthy. Luckily, there should be some viable options in free agency. Ryan Kelly (Colts), Drew Dalman (Falcons), and Josh Meyers (Packers) are the ones who stand out the most.
Any of them would be able to provide stability in the middle, which is something the Chicago Bears haven’t had in a long time. In the past decade, they have gone through no less than five different centers. Their best one was Cody Whitehair and that wasn’t even the position they drafted him to play. This doesn’t seem like the year to finally get that next Olin Kreutz or Jay Hilgenberg. If the Bears do decide to draft a center, they will have to hope he can develop into something more than what he was in college.
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@Tred A few things to note about your analysis there. First, with Detroit, that really good GM, Brad Holmes…he’s done well, but you are giving him credit for much that he had nothing to do with, as well as good fortune on his pyart. That great offensive line began being assembled almost 10 years ago by Holmes’ predecessor, and three coaching staffs ago. They start 3 first rounders drafted by Detroit, but only one was drafted by Holmes (Sewell). Holmes and Campbell inherited the first rounders at center and left tackle, as well as the third rounder playing left guard.… Read more »
Just an FYI, like many of these articles, this one is full of crap too. Josh Myers is one of the worst centers in the league, grading out 50th out of 62 that have played enough to be ranked, meaning he might be the worst starting center in the entire league. Ryan Kelly is old (31) and only ranks 18th out of 62, and is really bad on run blocking at 32nd out of 62. Drew Dalman would be an upgrade, ranking 6th out of 62 overall, and he is young at 26, but his overall grade is mostly because… Read more »
Poles has not given much indication that he possesses the football intelligence, insight, perception, intuition, or skillset to function successfully as a GM.
President Harry Truman stated that “the buck stops here”. The buck should stop with GM Poles too. Truman pulled out a surprise victory in 1948. Is the same going to occur for Poles in 2025? I hope not.
@Dr Melhus – it’s interesting you chose to mention Jared Goff. A few years ago, he was regarded as a failure. But he went to Detroit, who has a superior GM in Brad Holmes, and he excelled. Detroit has a head coach who maintains high standards and discipline, and performs at a professional level. Ryan Poles retained Matt Eberflus, who did none of these things. Failure by Poles to provide a good working environment for Caleb Williams. Detroit has an OC in Ben Johnson who is considered one of the best in the NFL. The Bears, under Poles, hired Shane… Read more »
@ Dr. Melhus – a recounting of the current situation and statistics do not constitute an evaluation, or a forecast of future potential.
They are simply a statement of the facts as they stand now. And the facts say that Poles, and the Bears, failed at their task. They failed in spectacular fashion, really.